ARCATA, Calif. – Humboldt State softball pitchers yielded only five hits in a pair masterful pitching performances to complete the series sweep of Cal State Stanislaus Saturday afternoon.
Both games went final in the fifth inning. HSU won the early game, 10-2, and the series finale, 8-0. With their sixth-straight win, the Lumberjacks are now 17-8 overall, 12-4 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play and 8-2 at home. The Warriors are 3-17 in conference action and 9-19 overall.
"This weekend was big for us," said HSU Head Coach
Shelli Sarchett. "We needed to break out and that's what we did."
Stanislaus managed just two hits in the opener – both were home runs.
Madison Williams fanned seven Warriors, surrendered two earned runs and did not issue a walk. The win was her ninth of the season.
With the opportunity to complete the series sweep in the finale,
Katie Obbema took the circle and dominated. She struck out eight, did not surrender a run and scattered three hits. Obbema took complete advantage of the rebound opportunity following a rocky appearance in the series opener. The win was her sixth of the year.
"Both Maddie and Katie pitched well today," said Sarchett. "We changed up the rotation today, and the pitchers responded well. Katie bounced back and she needed a day like today to pick up her confidence."
Green and Gold pitching had a field day versus Stanislaus and so did the HSU hitters.
Tiffany Hollingsworth continued to tee off against the Warriors and finished the afternoon 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs and a walk.
Dani Randall drove in six runs in game one of the Saturday twinbill. She crushed a line-drive grand slam in the third frame.
"We were able to take advantage of opportunities on the bases and got key hits at the right time," said Sarchett. "Late in the second game, we had the perfect combination of speed and bat control. I called the squeeze play twice and it was successful both times."
The Jacks travel to Oakland, Calif., Tuesday for a non-conference meeting with Holy Names. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. PT.
GAME ONE Stanislaus produced the game's first run, but HSU provided a swift response in its 10-2 victory.
Trailing 1-0 entering the third inning, the Jacks loaded the bases with three singles before Randall smashed her line-drive grand slam. The long ball was her second of the series.
Randall and Hollingsworth compiled back-to-back two-run base knocks in the fourth and extended HSU's lead to 8-1.
The Jacks closed out the game with a pair of RBI singles from Hannah Holland and
Darian Harris in the home half of the fifth inning.
Jessica Varaday and Alex Rowell collected the only hits for the Warriors. Varaday's solo home run came in the second inning, and Rowell hit her long ball in the fifth.
GAME TWO HSU struck first and bookended the 8-0 series finale victory with multi-run innings.
Hollingsworth rocketed Stanislaus starter Cheyenne Harper's first pitch into the tree line beyond the centerfield wall to give HSU a 2-0 advantage in the first frame. Her long ball brought home Holland who reached on a leadoff walk.
Hannah Williams and
Sydney Roberts picked up their only hits of the nightcap in the third inning. Both drove in a run – Williams with a single up the middle and Roberts with a double into centerfield.
The Jacks tallied three more runs in the final two frames. Hollingsworth connected on her second round-tripper of the game, a solo homer, in the fourth. Harris, Holland and
Kelly Sonnemann brought home Green and Gold runs and helped end the game in five innings.
